An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Meaning of Wearable Health Trackers among Patients with Chronic Illnesses
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Abstract
Digital health technologies, especially wearable health trackers, have transformed chronic disease management by supporting real-time self-monitoring and patient engagement. While their functional benefits are widely recognized, little is known about how patients interpret and emotionally respond to these technologies in their daily lives. This study uses an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to explore the experiences of eight adult patients with chronic illnesses who regularly use wearable health devices. The research seeks to answer: How do patients with chronic conditions experience and make sense of wearable health trackers as part of their self-care? This study adopts an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to explore the lived experiences of eight adult patients with chronic conditions who regularly use wearable health devices. Semi-structured interviews with these eight participants were thematically analyzed, revealing four core themes: the device as an emotional companion, ambivalence toward data, the emergence of autonomy, and digital literacy challenges. These themes reflect the complex interplay between technology, identity, emotion, and health behavior in chronic illness management. Findings show that wearable health trackers are not merely clinical tools but are deeply integrated into users’ psychological and existential lives. This research contributes to the digital health literature by advocating for user-centered, empathetic design and culturally adaptive technologies. It also underscores the value of phenomenological inquiry in illuminating the emotional and subjective dimensions of self-tracking in health, offering directions for future research across diverse sociocultural settings.
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